500 Artists Against Israeli Apartheid

February 25th, 2010 | Posted in Boycott, Canada, Palestine, Quebec, Solidarity
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    Artists Against Israeli Apartheid: Montreal, February 25th 2010

tadamonskyartistletter

    photo: shinning sky over the Israeli apartheid wall in Palestine.

A call from Montreal artists to support the international campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Israeli apartheid…

Today, a broad spectrum of Montreal artists are standing in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom and supporting the growing international campaign for Boycott, Divestment and Sanctions (BDS) against the Israeli state. Last winter, the Israeli state launched a violent military assault on the Palestinian people of the Gaza Strip, leaving over 1400 Palestinians dead, including over 300 children. Despite the official end of military operations, the blockade continues to this day, with devastating consequences for Gaza’s residents.

Over 60 years from the beginning of the ongoing Palestinian Nakba (catastrophe) in 1948, in which hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were forced from historic Palestine through Israel’s creation, Montreal artists are united in solidarity with the Palestinian struggle for freedom and justice.

Montreal artists are now joining this international campaign to concretely protest the Israeli state’s ongoing denial of the inalienable rights of Palestinian refugees to return to their homes and properties, as stipulated in and protected by international law, as well as Israel’s ongoing occupation and colonization of the West Bank (including Jerusalem) and Gaza, which also constitutes a violation of international law and multiple United Nations resolutions.

Palestinian citizens face an entrenched system of racial discrimination and segregation, resembling the defeated apartheid system in South Africa. A matrix of Israeli-only roads, electrified fences, and over 500 military checkpoints and roadblocks erase freedom of movement for Palestinians. Israel’s apartheid wall, which was condemned by the International Court of Justice in 2004, cuts through Palestinian lands, further annexing Palestinian territory and surrounding Palestinian communities with electrified barbed wire fences and a concrete barrier soaring eight meters high.

Gaza remains under siege. Israel continues to impose collective punishment on the 1.5 million Palestinians of Gaza, who still face chronic shortages of electricity, fuel, food and basic necessities as the campaign of military violence executed by the apartheid state of Israel endures. UN officials recently observed that the “situation has deteriorated into a full-fledged emergency because of the cut-off of vital supplies for Palestinians.” As a result of Israeli actions, Gaza has become a giant prison.

The global movement against Israeli apartheid, supported by a large majority of Palestinian civil society, is not targeted at individual Israelis but at Israeli institutions that are complicit in maintaining the multi-tiered Israeli system of oppression against the Palestinian people.

In fact, the Palestinian civil society BDS call, launched by over 170 Palestinian organisations in 2005, explicitly appeals to conscientious Israelis, urging them to support international efforts to bring about Israel’s compliance with international law and fundamental human rights, essential elements for a justice-based peace in the region. The present appeal is also rooted in an active engagement with many progressive Israeli artists and activists who are working on a daily basis for peace and justice while supporting the growing global movement in opposition to Israeli apartheid.

During the first and second intifadas, Israel invaded, ransacked, and even closed down cinemas, theatres and cultural centers in the occupied territories. These deliberate attempts to stifle the Palestinian cultural voice have failed and will continue to fail. Around the world, the call for BDS is growing and is strongly rooted in the historic international solidarity movement against apartheid in South Africa.

In keeping with Nelson Mandela’s declaration that “our freedom [in South Africa] is incomplete without the freedom of the Palestinians,” we believe that international solidarity is critical to liberating Palestinians from Israeli colonialism and apartheid. This struggle will continue until all Palestinians are granted their basic human rights, including the right of return for all Palestinian refugees living in the Diaspora.

Today, a diverse array of artists in Montreal, from filmmakers, musicians and dancers to poets, authors and painters, are joining the international movement against Israeli apartheid. On the streets, in concert halls, in words and in song, we commit to fighting against apartheid and call upon all artists and cultural producers across the country and around the world to adopt a similar position in this global struggle.

to add your support to this letter or to present questions or suggestions please write to info(at)tadamon.ca

1: Aidan Girt, musician, 1-Speed Bike
2: Alexander Moskos, musician, AIDS Wolf
3: Chole Lum, musician, AIDS Wolf
4: Yannick Desranleau, musician, AIDS Wolf
5: Esmeralda Súmar Jara, Amérythmes
6: Karen Lliana Lemus, Amérythmes
7: Ronald Lemus, Amérythmes
8: José Sermeno Rosales, Amérythmes
9: Daviyd Yisrael, Amérythmes
10: Pierre Allard, Action Terroriste Socialement Acceptable, ATSA
11: Annie Roy, Action Terroriste Socialement Acceptable, ATSA
12: Hamid Nach, musician, Bambara Trans
13: Kattam Laraki-Côté, percussionist, Bambara Trans
14: Iqi Balam, singer, Banda de Gaza
15: Owain Lawson, musician, Black Feelings
16: Brian Mitchell, musician, Black Feelings
17: Kyle Fostner, musician, Black Feelings
18: James Di Salvio, Bran Van 3000
19: Bronwen Agnew, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
20: Maire White, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
21: Skyla Mody, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
22: Annabelle Rivard, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
23: Veronica Post, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
24: Sonja Engmann, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
25: Cathy Inouye, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
26: Anne Gorry, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
27: Andrea Miller-Nesbitt, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
28: Joseph Boulos, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
29: Matt Corks, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
30: Florence Richer, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
31: Maggie Schreiner, Chaotic Insurrection Ensemble
32: Jon Boles, musician, Clues
33: Ben Borden, musician, Clues
34: Brendan Reed, musician, Clues
35: Don Wilkie, co-founder, Constellation Records
36: Ian Ilavsky, co-founder, Constellation Records
37: Andy Williams, DJ Andy Williams
38: Tyler Megarry, DJ Backdoor
39: Robyn Maynard, DJ Dirtyboots
40: Kevin Moon, DJ Moonstarr
41: Vladimir López, DJ Palosanto
42: Scott Clyke, DJ Scott C
43: Mike Lai, DJ Static
44: Mado Lamotte, Drag Queen Diva
45: Nader Hasan, musician, Echoes Still Singing Limbs
46: Aidan Jeffery, musician, Echoes Still Singing Limbs
47: Amine Benbachir, Elby & Woods
48: Jordan McKenzie, musician, Elfin Saddle
49: Emi Honda, musician, Elfin Saddle
50: Deeqa Ibrahim, singer, Empress Deeqa
51: Normand Raymond, musician, Ensemble Acalanto
52: Carmen Pavez, musician, Ensemble Acalanto
53: Rafael Azocar, musician/composer, Ensemble Acalanto
54: Rebecca Foon, musician, Esmerine
55: Jean-Sébastien Truchy, musician, Fly Pan Am
56: Lisa Gamble, Gambletron
57: Emilie Mouchous, electronic musician, Gamackrr
58: Sub Roy, musician, Grand Trine
59: Zayid Al-Baghdadi, musician, Hazaj Ensemble
60: Fadi Halawi, musician, Hazaj Ensemble
61: Michael Farsky, musician, Homosexual Cops
62: Joel Janis, singer, Jahnice +
63: Radwan Ghazi Moumneh, artist, Jerusalem in My Heart
64: Lubo Alexandrov, musician, Kaba Horo
65: Erik Hove, saxophonist, Kaba Horo
66: Zibz Black Current, poet, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
67: Matin Heslop, contrabass, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
68: Ron G. vocalist, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
69: Katalyst, poet, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
70: Adam Kinner, saxophonist, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
71: Mohamed Mehdi, guitar/voice, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
72: Jordan Peters, guitar, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
73: Fabrice Koffy, poet, Kalmunity Vibe Collective
74: Gordon Allen, musician, L’Envers
75: Simon Leduc, musician, Le Descente du Coude
76: Fanny Bloom, La Patère Rose
77: Kilojoules, La Patère Rose
78: Roboto, La Patère Rose
79: Simon D., Léopard et Moi
80: Lynne T., Lesbians on Ecstasy
81: Bernie Bankrupt, Lesbians on Ecstasy
82: Mathieu Farhoud-Dionne, rapper, Chafiik, Loco Locass
83: Geneviève Beaulieu, musician
84: Steve Lamothe, musician
85: Fred Savard, musician, Metis Yeti
86: Matthew Jacob Lederman, musician, Moondata LABprojects
87: Nantali Indongo, Nomadic Massive
88: Modibo Keita, Nomadic Massive
89: Diegal Leger, Nomadic Massive
90: Nicolás Palacios-Hardy, Nomadic Massive
91: Lou Piensa, Nomadic Massive
92: Ralph Joseph, Nomadic Massive
93: Meryem Saci, Nomadic Massive
94: Vox Sambou, Nomadic Massive
95: Jason Selman, Nomadic Massive / Kalmunity Vibe Collective
96: Sébastien Fournier, musician, Panopticon Eyelids
97: Félix Morel, musician, Panopticon Eyelids
98: Nicolas Basque, guitar/voice, Plants and Animals
99: Matthew Woodley, percussionist, Plants and Animals
100: David Bryant, musician, Set Fire to Flames
101: Thierry Amar, musician, Silver Mt. Zion
102: Sophie Trudeau, musician, Silver Mt. Zion
103: Mohamed Masmoudi, musician, Sokoun Trio
104: Greg Napier, musician, Special Noise
105: Jeff Simmons, musician, Special Noise
106: Edward Lee, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
107: Reyrey Castonguay, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
108: Machaulay Culkin, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
109: Amanda Oliver, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
110: Rochelle Ross, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
111: Tasha Zamudio, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
112: Kerri Flannigan, artist, St. Emilie SkillShare
113: Jessie Stein, singer/guitar, The Luyas
114: Yassin Alsalman, musician, the Narcicyst
115: Gern F., singer/guitar, The United Steel Workers of Montreal
116: Martin Cesar, musician, Think About Life
117: Greg Napier, musician, Think About Life
118: Caila Thompson-Hannant, musician, Think About Life
119: Graham Van Pelt, musician, Think About Life
120: Andrea deBruijn, poet, Throw Poetry Collective
121: Alessandra Naccarato, poet, Throw Poetry Collective
122: Merrill Garbus, musician, Tune-Yards
123: Sundus Abdul Hadi, visual artist
124: Jean-Marc Abela, filmmaker
125: Faiz Abhuani, Artivistic collective
126: Paul Ahmarani, actor
127: Mitchell Akiyama, electronic musician, intr. version recordings
128: Patrick Alonso, photographer
129: Hala Alsalman, filmmaker
130: Tito Alvarado, poet, Proyecto Cultural Sur
131: David Amorocho, pianist
132: Sabrien Amrov, photographer
133: Fortner Anderson, poet
134: Tasha Anestopoulos, DJ
135: Daniel Anez, pianist
136: Laura Jordán, musician
137: Amelie Ares, artist
138: Shahrzad Arshadi, artist/photographer
139: Nedaa Asbah, musician
140: Natali Asbah, violinist
141: Maroupi Asbah, violinist
142: Jon Asencio, musician/performance artist
143: Martine Audet, poet
144: Mila Aung-Thwin, Eye Steel Film
145: François Avard, author
146: Shira Avni, filmmaker
147: Magali Babin, electronic music composer
148: Gina Badger, visual artist
149: Rebecca Bain, musician
150: Anaïs Barbeau-Lavalette, filmmaker
151: Kate Bass, visual artist
152: Philippe Battikha, musician
153: Mireya Bayancela, comedian
154: Jonathan Belisle, Transmedia StoryTeller
155: Nabila Ben Youssef, comedian
156: Kamal Benkirane, writer/editor
157: Serge Bérard, writer
158: Patricia Bergeron, film producer
159: David Bernans, author
160: Isabelle Bernier, artist
161: Josué Bertolino, documentary filmmaker
162: Santiago Bertolino, documentary filmmaker
163: Mark Berube, singer, The Patriotic Few
164: Kawtare Bihya, artist
165: Eli Bissonnette, founder Dare to Care Records
166: Pierre-Guy Blanchard, percussionist
167: Julien Boisvert, filmmaker
168: Michel Bonneau, musician
169: Rana Bose, writer
170: Marie Boti, director, Productions Multi-Monde
171: Magda Boukanan, pianist
172: Bachir Boumediene, Eye Steel Film
173: Arnaud Bouquet, documentary filmmaker
174: Marie Brassard, actress/theatre performer
175: Derek Broad, designer
176: Richard Brouillette, filmmaker
177: Marion Brunelle, jazz singer
178: Alexia Bürger, comedian
179: Chris Burns, musician
180: Louise Burns, artist
181: Peter Burton, musician, executive director of Suoni per il Popolo festival
182: Antoine Bustros, pianist/composer
183: César Càceres, visual artist
184: Philippe Cadieux, visual artist
185: Michel Campeau, photographer
186: Olivier Campo, Bar Populaire
187: Daniel Canty, writer/filmmaker
188: Paul Cargnello, singer/songwriter
189: Boban Chaldovich, filmmaker
190: Vincent Champagne, filmmaker
191: Mazen Chamseddine, graphic artist/architect
192: Yung Chang, filmmaker, Up the Yangtze
193: Sarah Charland-Faucher, filmmaker
194: Elsa Charpentier, artist
195: Julie Châteauvert, Dare-Dare art gallery
196: Ghada Chehade, poet
197: Geneviève Chicoine, artist
198: Shayla Chilliak, musician
199: Jordan Christoff, musician
200: Stefan Christoff, pianist/photographer
201: Jacob Cino, music producer/DJ
202: Moe Clark, poet
203: Andrea-Jane Cornell, sound artist
204: Michel F Côté, musician
205: Marie-Hélène Cousineau, filmmaker
206: Mateo Creux, pianist
207: Jean Michel Cropsal, painter
208: Daniel Cross, filmmaker, founder of Eye Steel Film
209: Vincenzo D’Alto, photographer
210: Amy Darwish, artist/dancer
211: Noémie da Silva, photographer
212: Marie Davidson, singer, Les momies de Palerme
213: Mary Ellen Davis, documentary filmmaker
214: Luke Dawson, artist
215: Susanne de Lotbinière-Harwood, literary translator
216: Étienne de Massy, artist
217: Sylvie de Morais, comedian
218: Lhasa de Sela, singer
219: Julie Delorme, DJ/CKUT host
220: Sophie Deraspe, filmmaker, Les Signes Vitaux
221: Jean Derome, jazz musician
222: Nathalie Derome, interdisciplinary artist
223: Marcelle Deschênes, composer/multimedia artist
224: Robert Deschênes, artist
225: Richard Desjardins, artist
226: Denys Desjardins, filmmaker
227: Keiko Devaux, pianist, the Acorn/People for Audio
228: Omar Dewachi, musician
229: Benoît Dhennin, photographer
230: Nathalie Dion, artist, Zazalie Z
231: Xarah Dion, musician, Ample collective
232: Dominique Lebeau, Domlebo, musician
233: Kim Doré, poet/editor
234: Julie Doucet, comic artist
235: Robyn Dru Germanese, artist
236: Frédéric Dubois, cultural worker
237: Bruno Dubuc, filmmaker
238: Martin Duckworth, documentary filmmaker
239: Philippe Ducros, theatre director, Hotel Motel
240: Katie Earle, artist
241: Marlene Edoyan, filmmaker, Multi-Monde Productions
242: Will Eizlini, musician
243: Hassan El Hadi, musician/singer
244: Majdi El Omari, filmmaker
245: Darren Ell, photographer
246: Nirah Elyza Shirazipour, filmmaker, Eyes Infinite Films
247: Yves Engler, author
248: Bérenger Enselme, Bar Populaire
249: Claudia Espinosa, photographer
250: Tony Ezzy, musician
251: Julie Faubert, visual artist
252: David Fennario, playwright
253: Javier Fernàndez-Rial, pianist
254: Carlos Ferrand, filmmaker
255: Ian Ferrier, poet
256: Riley Fleck, percussionist
257: Arwen Fleming, musician
258: Lindsay Foran, visual artist
259: Andrew Forster, artist
260: Tammy Forsythe, choreographer
261: James Franze, musician
262: Kandis Friesen, visual artist
263: Fanny-Pierre Galarneau, graffiti artist, Aïshaaglyphics
264: Carmen Garcia, film producer
265: Francisco Garcia, artist
266: Brett Gaylor, filmmaker, RIP! A Remix Manifesto
267: Chloé Germain-Thérien, filmmaker/illustrator
268: Christine Ghawi, musician/actress/winner of Gemini Award
269: Olivier Gianolla, painter
270: Peter Gibson, visual artist, Roadsworth
271: Serge Giguère, filmmaker
272: Yan Giguère, artist
273: Dan Gillean, visual artist, Fiver
274: Jason Gillingham, artist
275: Miriam Ginestier, DJ/artistic director of Studio 303
276: Michel Giroux, filmmaker
277: Ernest Godin, producer/filmmaker, Kondololé films
278: Anne Golden, video artist
279: Malcolm Goldstein, violinist/composer
280: Amber Goodwyn, singer, Nightwood
281: Ashley Gould, DJ
282: Janna Graham, sound artist
283: Étienne Grenier, sound artist
284: Neil Griffith, musician
285: Steve Guimond, artistic director of festival Suoni per il Popolo
286: Alexandra Guité, filmmaker
287: Freda Guttman, artist
288: Malcolm Guy, documentary filmmaker, Productions Multi-Monde
289: Tamara Al Waely, photographer
290: Rawi Hage, author
291: Linda Dawn Hammond, photographer
292: Katy Hanna, artist
293: Shannon Harris, documentary filmmaker
294: Tim Hecker, electronic musician
295: Dorothy Henault, documentary filmmaker
296: Anne Henderson, documentary filmmaker
297: Hanako Hoshimi-Caines, contemporary dancer
298: Magnus Isacsson, documentary filmmaker
299: Yuki Isami, musician
300: Naledi Jackson, visual artist
301: Yohan Jager, pianist
302: Stéphane Jaques, theatre director
303: Jocelyn Jean, artist
304: Rodrigue Jean, artist
305: Sandra Jeppesen, poet/professor
306: David Jhave Johnston, poet
307: Sophie Jodoin, visual artist
308: Norsola Johnson, musician
309: Nicole Jolicoeur, artist
310: Sawssan Kaddoura, visual artist
311: Stephan Kazemi, designer
312: Kaie Kellough, poet
313: Arshad Khan, documentary filmmaker
314: Nika Khanjani, filmmaker
315: Maya Khankhoje, writer
316: Valerie Khayat, poet/singer
317: Catherine Kidd, poet
318: Sergeo Kirby, cinema producer, Loaded Pictures
319: Courtney Kirkby, sound artist
320: Aysegul Koc, filmmaker
321: Nick Kuepfer, musician
322: Devlin Kuyek, author
323: Sylvain L’Espérance, cinéaste
324: Danièle Lacourse, cinéaste
325: Stéphane Lahoud, cinéaste
326: Jean-Sébastien Lalumière, cinéaste
327: Ève Lamont, documentary filmmaker
328: Noam Lapid, visual artist
329: Chantale Laplante, composer
330: Rodolphe-Yves Lapointe, artist
331: Monique Laramée, multidisciplinary artist
332: Graham Latham, musician
333: Hugo Latulippe, cinéaste
334: Brian Allen Lipson, musician
335: Klervi Thienpont Lavallée, actress
336: Franck Le Flaguais, artist
337: Sophie Le-Phat Ho, Artivistic collective
338: François Leandre, visual artist
339: Michel Lefebvre, artist/multimedia editor
340: Vincent Lemieux, artist/DJ
341: Jean-François Lessard, writer/composer
342: Anna Leventhal, writer
343: JJ Levine, photographer
344: Mika Lillit Lior, choreographer/dancer
345: Sarah Linhares, singer
346: Paul Litherland, artist
347: Amy Lockhart, filmmaker/artist
348: Guillermo Lopez, cinema editor
349: Jacinthe Loranger, visual artist
350: Ehab Lotayef, poet
351: Lousnak, singer/multidisciplinary artist
352: Caytee Lush, poet
353: Kit Malo, artist
354: Khalid M’Seffar, radio host/DJ
355: Jessica MacCormack, multidisciplinary artist
356: Emmanuel Madan, sound artist
357: Rob Maguire, editor ArtThreat.net
358: Claude Maheu, musician
359: Hernán Maria, musician
360: Omar Majeed, filmmaker, Taqwacore – the Birth of Punk Islam
361: Iphigénie Marcoux-Fortier, filmmaker, Multi-Monde productions
362: Natalie Marshik, artist
363: Billy Mavreas, visual artist
364: Valerian Mazataud, photographer
365: Kirsten McCrea, artist, Papirmasse
366: Taliesin McEnaney, theatre artist
367: Catherine McInnis, artist
368: Meek, electronic musician
369: Feroz Mehdi, filmmaker/activist
370: Elany Mejia, musician
371: Amy Miller, documentary filmmaker
372: Jeff Miller, writer
373: Claude Mongrain, sculptor
374: Émilie Monnet, singer, Odaya
375: Evan Montpellier, musician
376: Vincent Moon, filmmaker
377: Allison Moore, artist
378: Katie Moore, singer/songwriter
379: Jean-Guy Moreau, artist/comedian
380: Dominic Morissette, filmmaker/photographer
381: Nadia Moss, visual artist/musician
382: Krista Muir, musician, Lederhosen Lucil
383: Mehdi Nabti, musician
384: Tyler Nadeau, photographer
385: Dimitri Nasrallah, author
386: Rawane Nassif, filmmaker
387: Pamela Navarrete, artist
388: Norman Nawrocki, musician/author
389: Joshua Noiseux, photographer
390: Kelly Nunes, DJ
391: Alexis O’Hara, multidisciplinary artist
392: Sean O’Hara, founder Alien 8 Recordings
393: Sarah Pagé, musician
394: Cléo Palacio-Quintin, musician/composer
395: Catherine Pappas, documentary filmmaker
396: Marie-Hélène Parant, artist
397: Richard Reed Parry, musician, Bell Orchestre
398: Alain Pelletier, multidisciplinary artist
399: Yann Perreau, singer/songwriter
400: Sara Peters, poet
401: Pierre Petiote, artist
402: Mauro Pezzente, musician, founder Casa del Popolo
403: Alisha Piercy, artist/writer
404: Pierre-Emmanuel Poizat, musician
405: Carole Poliquin, filmmaker
406: Janet Ponce, singer/author/composer
407: Jeannette Pope, filmmaker
408: Rozenn Potin, filmmaker
409: Levana Prud’homme, dancer
410: Jean-François Poupart, writer/professor
411: Thea Pratt, artist
412: Alain G. Pratte, photographer
413: Kern Prophete, hip-hop artist
414: Jesse Purcell, artist, Just Seeds
415: Nelly-Eve Rajotte, artist
416: Anne Ramsden, artist
417: Nada Raphael, documentary photographer
418: Louis Rastelli, author
419: Antonella Ravello, photographer
420: Coire Ready Langham, circus artist
421: Fred Reed, writer
422: Victor Regalado, artist
423: Monique Régimbald-Zieber, artist
424: Alain Reno, illustrator
425: Gisela Restrepo, artist
426: Gerard Reyes, dancer
427: Andrea Rideout, theatre artist
428: Coco Riot, artist
429: Matana Roberts, saxophonist
430: Antoine Rouleau, photographer
431: Guilaine Royer, cultural worker
432: Daïchi Saïto, filmmaker
433: Trish Salah, poet
434: Babak Salari, photographer
435: Samian, hip-hop artist
436: Miriam Sampaio, multidisciplinary artist
437: Marjolaine Samson, artist
438: Julian Samuel, artist/writer
439: Ariel Santana, artist
440: Claire Savoie, artist
441: Dorothy Saykaly, contemporary dancer
442: Patti Schmidt, radio host/cultural commentator
443: Anita Schoepp, artist/musician
444: Nadia Seboussi, artist
445: Fran Sendbuehler, graphic artist
446: Marcel Sévigny, author
447: Sam Shalabi, musician/composer
448: Nik Barry-Shaw, writer
449: Eric Shragge, author/professor
450: Bridget Simpson, musician
451: Michelle Smith, documentary filmmaker, Productions Multi-Monde
452: Prem Sooriyakumar, filmmaker
453: Jennifer Spiegel, writer
454: Laurel Sprengelmeyer, artist, Little Scream
455: Darlene St. Georges, art educator
456: Alexandre St-Onge, sound artist/musician
457: Allison Staton, photographer
458: Victoria Stanton, performance artist
459: Gab Perry Stensson, artist
460: Martha Stiegman, documentary filmmaker/author
461: Kiva Stimac, visual artist, founder Casa del Popolo
462: Brett Story, filmmaker
463: John W. Stuart, graphic designer/writer
464: Caroline Tagny, graphic artist
465: Roger Tellier-Craig, musician
466: Vincent Tinguely, poet/writer
467: Juan Toro, musician
468: Tanya Tree, documentary filmmaker
469: Benoît Tremblay, artist
470: Philippe Tremblay-Berberi, filmmaker
471: Gisèle Trudel, artist, Ælab
472: Svetla Turnin, executive director of Cinema Politica
473: André Turpin, cinéaste
474: Armand Vaillancourt, painter/sculptor
475: Alejandro Saravia, writer/poet
476: Sylvie Van Brabant, filmmaker
477: Niek van de Steeg, artist
478: Francis Van Den Heuvel, filmmaker
479: Rahul Varma, theatre director, Teesri Duniya Theatre
480: Chris Vaughn, violinist, Free Benny Meanz
481: Adrian Vedady, jazz musician
482: Felipe Verdugo, pianist
483: Sebastián Verdugo, pianist
484: Stefan Verna, documentary filmmaker
485: Gilles Vigneault, artist
486: Sam Vipond, musician
487: Tamara Vukov, filmmaker/academic
488: Shannon Walsh, documentary filmmaker
489: Francesca Waltzing, artist
490: Erin Weisgerber, sound artist
491: David Widgington, journalist/filmmaker
492: Ezra Winton, founder Cinema Politica
493: Britt Wray, artist
494: Gary Worsley, founder Alien 8 Recordings
495: Dexter X, filmmaker/musician
496: Eileen Young, visual artist
497: Karen Young, singer/songwriter
498: Kevin Yuen Kit Lo, graphic designer
499: Michael Zaidan, filmmaker
500: Kim Zombik, singer

46 Comments »

No racism no zionism

Comment by Karam Tannous — February 26th, 2010 @ 12:29 PM

My work explores the sinster and tragic consequences of 1917, 1948 on destiny of a people.

Comment by Eman Haram, Artist — February 26th, 2010 @ 2:24 PM

We will not go away. We will counter every deliberate and systematic act of erasure and destruction, with multiple acts of re-construction, re-narration and re-creations.

Comment by Eman Haram, Artist — February 26th, 2010 @ 2:38 PM

J’ai publier cette nouvelle sur mon blogue et j’appui la lutte du peuple Palestinien…et soutien la campagne internationale BDS

Comment by Serge Adam — February 26th, 2010 @ 2:56 PM

Après les artistes, il faudrait peut-être aussi faire faire une déclaration semblable aux intellectuels québécois. Pour accroitre l’impact de la campagne internationale de boycott.

Comment by Bernard Gadoua — February 26th, 2010 @ 3:43 PM

I Love that ,keep it up.

Comment by Ghassan Masoud — February 26th, 2010 @ 10:35 PM

The boycott of Israel must be made into a precise programme to distinguish it from a boycott of Jewish people per se. There must also be a distinction made between a boycott of Israel rather than Israelis. Furthermore the Arabic word Yehudi should not be used to refer to Israel or Zionists since it is the name of the entire Jewish People who are in our majority not affiliated to Israel.

Comment by Abraham Weizfeld — February 27th, 2010 @ 3:16 PM

Le peuple Palestinien a le droit d’avoir une patrie.Il a assez souffert.J’appuie sa demande….La situation dans laquelle il se trouve doit avoir une fin.

Comment by Nelly Weiss — February 27th, 2010 @ 5:25 PM

Excellent travail Tadamon! Salutations solidaires aux artistes! Les jours d’impunité pour Israël sont comptés. Rien ne pourra arrêter la campagne internationale de boycott d’Israël. L’apartheid israélien se retrouvera au même endroit que l’apartheid sud-africain: au musée! Ce n’est qu’une question de (relativement peu) de temps avant qu’une masse critique de gens ne soit atteinte. Défenseurs d’Israël: quittez ce navire qui prend l’eau avant qu’il ne soit trop tard! Chantez avec le peuple palestinien le slogan anti-Apartheid d’Afrique du Sud: Amandla!

Comment by Denis KOSSEIM — February 27th, 2010 @ 11:00 PM

Congratulations to all the artists who signed and Tadamon for pulling this together! Viva Palestina!

Comment by Jerome — February 28th, 2010 @ 3:28 AM

WE WILL NOT GO DOWN….

Comment by Karam BEN MOHAMED — February 28th, 2010 @ 7:57 AM

Peace and love to Palestine.

Comment by tony durke — February 28th, 2010 @ 2:37 PM

ONE day the wall will fall on the head of the Israeli coverment.

Comment by Fahed Halabi — February 28th, 2010 @ 4:45 PM

From a T.O Artist/Teacher: Thank you Montreal artists for this awesome declaration against Israeli Aparthied…there are thousands of other Canadian artists ready to sign this declaration if it goes national. In peace~davis

Comment by Davis Mirza — March 1st, 2010 @ 3:39 AM

Vanessa Redgrave says referring to Israel as an apartheid regime is counterproductive to peace and to justice for the Palestinian people.

“If attitudes are hardened on both sides, if those who are fighting within their own communities for peace are insulted, where then is the hope? The point finally is not to grandstand but to inch toward a two-state solution and a world in which both nations can exist, perhaps not lovingly, but at least in peace,” said Redgrave in an October 2009 letter to the New York Review of Books.

Comment by Helen — March 1st, 2010 @ 3:13 PM

Honte à Gilles Vigneault et Richard Desjardins. Ces 2 individus savent sans doute créer de la fiction poétique mais ils peinent, manifestement, à voir les choses telles qu’elles sont, particulièrement quand elles se déroulent au-delà du bout de leur nez.

Et les 500 autres artistes ? Ils font figure d’ »idiots utiles » (l’expression vient de Lénine) aux yeux des islamistes et des terroristes au pouvoir à Gaza: par leur signature, ces artistes se croient utiles à la cause palestinienne alors qu’ils ne réussissent qu’ à faire la promotion de la cause islamiste et terroriste.

La semaine contre l’apartheid (sic) israélien est un dérapage odieux qui mérite l’opposition et la condamnation de tous ceux qui ont une tête sur les épaules, connaissent le sens des mots, ou, simplement, ne sont pas incultes. Tous ceux, en sommes, qui ne sont pas les esclaves superficiels de leurs émotions, défaut sérieux que je ne serais pas surpris de trouver chez la plupart des artistes signataires.

Rappelons aux 500 signataires, que Gaza a une frontière avec l’Egypte : Gaza ne peut être une « prison » (sic) que si l’Egypte bloque, aussi, sa frontière avec Gaza. Si apartheid il y a, il est donc à la fois israélien et égyptien. Quand y aura-t-il « semaine contre l’apartheid israélien et égyptien », ou jointe condamnation de l’Egypte et Israel ? Rép. : aux calendes grecques. Car le but de ces organisateurs est : ventiler une haine atavique et la ventiler unilatéralement, de manière qui attire peu de conséquences personnelles. En clair : dans la direction du seul pays juif de la planète plutôt que dans la direction (oh ennuyante, oh plus complexe, puisqu’il y a 60 autres pays musulmans) d’un pays juif et d’un pays musulman !

(Notons au passage que l’Egypte a entièrement raison de lutter avec Israël contre le terrorisme islamiste.)

Québécois déçus par la pusillanimité de ces artistes dépourvus de discernement, réconfortez-vous: les autres signataires me semblent de purs inconnus. Parmi les plus grands artistes québécois, des douzaines et des douzaines (l’immense majorité) n’ont pas signé cette pétition incendiaire qui ne peut avoir qu’une conséquence prévisible: envenimer les choses là-bas en encourageant les Palestiniens à persévérer dans une direction extrémiste fermée aux compromis ; extrémisme qui dure depuis 60 ans sans jamais leur donner rien d’autre que plus de misère et de dépendance auto-infligée. Il y a du tragique à un peuple dont le motto officieux est, selon Abba Eban : « ne jamais rater une occasion de rater une occasion ». Si au moins les signatairs pointaient le peuple palestinien dans la bonne direction. Mais non : tout comme le fou regarde fixement le doigt du sage qui pointe vers la lune, ces artistes regardent fixement le doigt israélien au lieu de la solution si évidente ; refus du terrorisme, acceptation de compromis.

Si une majorité palestinienne avait été le moindrement ouverte à des compromis (une minorité palestinienne y a toujours été ouverte), il y aurait paix depuis belle lurette au Proche-Orient.

Un mot pour les journalistes québécois ou francophones. Pensez-vous vraiment que ces artistes connaissent quoi que ce soit à la situation là-bas? Non. Mais ils ont sans doute lu vos comptes-rendus, et vos comptes-rendus étaient, pour la plupart, sérieusement biaisés dans une direction pro-palestinienne ou négative envers Israël ; ils n’avaient rien d’une apparence de neutralité.

Avant de ridiculiser la crédulité et la naiveté de ces artistes dominés par leurs émotions beaucoup plus que par la raison et la connaissance, pointons donc du doigt les nombreux journalistes québécois qui les ont systématiquement désinformés sur ce sujet, et ce, depuis 40 ans. Quelques journalistes les ont informés avec compétence et objectivité (Lysiane Gagnon, par exemple), mais ils sont fort minoritaires. Les autres ont systématiquement utilisé un vocabulaire très peu neutre qui était souvent dénigrant envers Israel: un vocabulaire qui correspondait, le plus souvent, à la manière palestinienne de voir les choses, et qui correspondait très rarement à la manière israélienne de voir les choses.

Comment by Michael Laughrea — March 1st, 2010 @ 11:19 PM

Bravo aux signataires, et 500 fois merci !

Comment by Marie Paradis — March 2nd, 2010 @ 3:47 PM

Le boycott anti-israélien touche des gens de tous les bords politiques, de toutes les origines ethniques (juifs, druzes, bédouins, circassiens, arabes musulmans et chrétiens). Si le blocus était raciste, la Cisjordanie serait bloquée. 500 artistes adoptent le réflexe nauséeux du boycott d’un pays pour favoriser l’organisation terroriste du Hamas qui avec le Hezbollah sert de supplétifs au régime islamo-fasciste iranien qui opprime son propre peuple et pend ses opposants. Vous oubliez les blessés du Fatah achevés dans les hopitaux par les tueurs du Hamas au moment de la prise de la bande de Gaza, le kidnapping d’un soldat israélien Guilad Shalit sur le sol d’Israël, les bombardements des écoles de Sderot depuis 8 ans, etc.
Merci de m’indiquer où je peux renvoyer mes CD de musique québecoise (j’ai notamment une bonne douzaine de CD de Gilles Vigneault). Quant à mes vacances au Canada, je m’engage à ne pas sortir des quartiers anglophones de Montréal pour m’assurer que l’argent que je dépense ne sert pas à éditer “le protocole des Sages de Sion” ou à payer la corde des pendaisons ordonnées par Ahmadinejedad. Quand je voudrai voir des baleines j’irai à Vancouver et j’oublierai définitivement Tadoussac et le vieil antisémitisme québecois du type “allez sois généreux, ne fais pas le juif”. Et puis la vraie culture française est à Paris, chez vous elle dégénère dans la haine.
Chez nous en France (la vraie France), le boycott anti-israélien ou anti-juif est condamné par les tribunaux de la République.

Vive la République. Vive la France.

Jonathan Pearson

Comment by Jonathan Pearson — March 3rd, 2010 @ 6:11 AM

with all the respect for the Palestinian struggle for interdependency and for art, the real responsible for the cinema closure in the Gaza strip is Hamas and not Israel. 9 operating cinemas in Gaza strip were closed after a violent demonstration of Hamas in 1995 and never reopened again, even after the Israeli withdrawal. in your post and and on your website, you don’t even mention that in the Gaza strip there is a radical Islamic regime that doesn’t allow artistic manifestations (like in Afghanistan during the taliban). except for a martyr movies as “Imad Akal” (if you consider it art…). it’s ok to blame Israel for many things but i think you should also self-criticize what is happening inside the Palestinian society. i know that my comment doesn’t support your cause 100% and might not publish it, but sometime the reality is more complex then Israel – bad, Palastinians – good.

Comment by Assaf Ruder — March 6th, 2010 @ 6:48 AM

Are you also against Palestinian murderous terror? Against their religious zealousness? Their lack of tolerance towards Christian Arab minority? Their gender based discrimination? their historical lies?

Do you support, like them, the total destruction of the state of Israel? their constant bombardment of Israeli cities?

Israel is no saint, but nor are the Palestinians. Your ignorance does not bring peace, but make it more difficult to achieve it.

Comment by Aviv — March 6th, 2010 @ 10:27 AM

funny cause in gaza there is no culture at all !!
israel dont control of gaza the hamas is !
the islam is very democracy….go back to read and learn fools.

Comment by niv — March 6th, 2010 @ 12:57 PM

I think it’s a wonderful thing that all you people sign and support a pettition without really knowing the facts… I think I will start a pettition of my own – “A call from worldwide artists to support the international campaign for Boycott, Divestment, and Sanctions against Canadian apartheid of the martians….”
About as logical and true as yours.
I can’t believe how ignorant people can be. Stop feeding off of the one-sided media reports! if either one of you spent only a couple of weeks in israel, you would have understand that there is no apartheid, nor anything that even resambles it. It’s funny how you people support those who don’t care for human rights, women rights, gay rights, or even free speech, and go against the only country in the middle-east that does! We have arab members of the parlament, and the arab people in israel have more rights than every other arab in any other muslim country! I guess it’s easier to put your name down on a stupid pettition then actually trying to understand and know the situation…

Comment by Nagash — March 6th, 2010 @ 1:11 PM

there is Culture in Afghanistan ,Sudan the same here in gaza !!
why are you publish so much lies ? what do you know about the palastinian history at all ?
in israel there is 20 % of arab muslim Citizens !!!
israel is the only Democratic country in the middel east !!!
what do you know about the claims of the Palestinian ?
do you heard the name jordan kingdom and Saudi Arabia and how they established ?
Excuse me you dont know s….. you part of Islamic Radical Campaign !!!
i wonder why we dont hear your voices over other Injustices all over the world …
if only one of you will learn the real facts open books and try the find the truth ill be glad/ mean while you supporting terrorist groups not nation or tribe.

Comment by niv — March 6th, 2010 @ 1:24 PM

your all so one sided about things you dont really know.it’s amazing
keep watching the paliwood show…. have a nice day
i’m here and you wont change that.
adam from israel

Comment by adam — March 6th, 2010 @ 2:09 PM

Apartheid Week – Hypocrisy at its Best

By: JONATHAN DAHOAH HALEVI
Published: March 2nd 2010

“…The Canadian artists blame Israel for intentionally harassing and bringing disaster to the peaceful Palestinian people during more than 60 years and fail to mention the word “terrorism” even once.

Their account of the historical events as they appear in the statement is to say the least distorted. One paragraph within the long list of “crimes” accuses Israel of deliberately oppressing the Palestinian cultural activity as follows:

“During the first and second intifadas, Israel invaded, ransacked, and even closed down cinemas, theatres and cultural centers in the occupied territories. These deliberate attempts to stifle the Palestinian cultural voice have failed and will continue to fail.” [1]

The five hundred Canadian artists virtually portray Israel as a pinnacle of human evil and their basic premise assumes, as it may be understood, that without Israeli “crimes,” the pluralist and liberal Palestinian culture in the Gaza Strip would be flourishing with cinemas, theatres and cultural centres.

This thesis has one little weakness. Not a single cinema house exists in the Gaza Strip and Hamas – NOT Israel – is responsible for “stifling the Palestinian cultural voice”. Saud Abu Ramadan, a Palestinian reporter working for the Chinese newswire Xinhua, published an article on July 26, 2009 reviewing the history of cinemas in the Gaza Strip while interviewing 57-year old Adnan Abu Beid, who used to run the most famous and biggest movie house in downtown Gaza city called al-Nasser, and today makes his living as a greengrocer. [2]

Abu Ramadan notes that “after Israel signed Oslo accords with the Palestinians, when the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was established after the Israeli army withdrew from Gaza city, al-Nasser movie house was reopened for a few months, but later it was burned and destroyed by angry Islamic Hamas demonstrators in 1995.” Abu Beid told Xinhua that after al-Nasser movie house was burned and destroyed, “I hid my film archives and decided to become a vegetable vendor.” He added that his archives “are the only that remained after all the movie houses had either shut down, or been destroyed by Hamas activists during demonstrations in Gaza city in 1995.”

By 1994, after the PNA was established, there were nine movie houses in the Gaza Strip, including al-Nasser, al-Samer, al-Jalaa’ and Amer in Gaza City, al-Khadra and al-Hamra in the city of Khan Younis and three other movie houses in the town of Rafah. However, Abu Beid said, “Nowadays, there is ignorance of movie houses and the contribution they could make in developing our culture.” He went on, saying that “many people who think about reopening movie houses in Gaza are afraid that it would be attacked, burned and destroyed.”

Xinhua’s reporter mentioned in this regard that ”radical Islamic groups have carried out in the last several months a series of attacks against internet cafes, coffee shops and other entertainment sites in the Gaza Strip, claiming that these places are used to spread immoral principles among the young Palestinian generations.” He quoted the response of Osama el-Eassawi, the minister of culture for the Hamas government in Gaza, who conditioned the reopening of any of the closed Gaza movie houses upon respecting the laws and the traditions of the Islamic society by saying the following: “We support the art that respects the moral and religious traditions and cultures.”

The first and yet only movie produced by the Hamas government was Imad Aqel which was screened at the Islamic University of Gaza, in the absence of cinemas in the Gaza Strip. The movie tells the heroic story of the senior terrorist of Hamas, who established its military wing, and is held accountable for the killing of 13 Israeli soldiers and civilians. The film cost $120,000 and was written by Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior leader of Hamas. Reuters’ reporter, Nidal al-Mughrabi, describes the reaction of Palestinian spectators who came in masses to watch the first movie ever to be screened under Hamas Islamic rule. “The audience in the Gaza Strip clapped and cheered as the actor delivered the movie’s most memorable line: “To kill Israeli soldiers is to worship God.” Majed Jendeya, the movie’s German-trained director, was quoted as saying that he hopes to screen the film at the Cannes festival in France. [3]

In conclusion, it is tremendously hard to comprehend how a huge group of Canadian artists are speaking with big words on human rights and at the same are silent on Hamas oppression of any free cultural activity, and even worse on its pursuance of nurturing a culture of death. I desperately want to believe that the Canadian artists were not familiar with the facts before signing the distorted statement.

Comment by samantha shephard — March 6th, 2010 @ 2:16 PM

in all the critiques towards the Artists Against Israeli Apartheid letter there has failed to be a concrete challenge to the facts outlined in the letter, as outlined below…

“Palestinian citizens face an entrenched system of racial discrimination and segregation, resembling the defeated apartheid system in South Africa. A matrix of Israeli-only roads, electrified fences, and over 500 military checkpoints and roadblocks erase freedom of movement for Palestinians. Israel’s apartheid wall, which was condemned by the International Court of Justice in 2004, cuts through Palestinian lands, further annexing Palestinian territory and surrounding Palestinian communities with electrified barbed wire fences and a concrete barrier soaring eight meters high.

Gaza remains under siege. Israel continues to impose collective punishment on the 1.5 million Palestinians of Gaza, who still face chronic shortages of electricity, fuel, food and basic necessities as the campaign of military violence executed by the apartheid state of Israel endures. UN officials recently observed that the “situation has deteriorated into a full-fledged emergency because of the cut-off of vital supplies for Palestinians.” As a result of Israeli actions, Gaza has become a giant prison.”

concerning the reality of Israeli apartheid in Palestine, there is an excellent article written by the South African anti-apartheid campaigner Desmond Tutu, linked below…

* Apartheid in the Holy Land
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2002/apr/29/comment

Comment by Stefan Christoff — March 6th, 2010 @ 7:15 PM

Honte à Karen Young, Jean-Guy Moreau, Shafik de Loco Locass, Yann Perreau, Armand Vaillancourt, Mado Lamothe, François Avard, Samian, Paul Ahmarani, et Lhasa de Sela.

Honte à ces artistes qui, comme Gilles Vigneault et Richard Desjardins, semblent animés par la haine puisqu’ils ont signé un texte incendiaire, calomniateur, ignoble, crapuleux et trompeur qui nous ramène presqu’au temps odieux de l’infâme résolution « sionisme = racisme » d’il y a 35 ans (résolution depuis longemps répudiée par tous les pays de la Terre sauf des pays musulmans et 3 pays communistes (1)).

Honte à tous ces artistes qui ne peuvent que penser à boycotter des produits israéliens, au lieu d’aider vraiment et directement les Palestiniens: faire le mal leur vient donc à l’esprit avant de faire le bien; faire du négatif leur vient à l’esprit avant de faire du positif.

En effet, combien de bourses d’études pour enfant palestinien en leur nom? Combien d’ailes d’écoles ou d’hôpital en Judée-Samarie en leur nom? Combien d’arbres plantés en leur nom? Combien de sculptures, de peintures données aux Palestiniens en leur nom ? All hat no horse! All talk no action! Ils déshonorent le Québec vaillant par leur geste non constructif.

Bravo à Jacques Brassard qui, dans son blogue (2), a écrit 7 paragraphes bien sentis à ces artistes, paragraphes qui auront au moins clarifié une chose : la haine les anime, à moins que ce ne soit une ignorance crasse du sujet sur lequel ils s’expriment.

Ces artistes devraient comprendre le pouvoir des mots. Mais ils s’en sont servi pour se lancer dans une invective qui contient des assauts radicaux contre les faits et la vérité : une telle somme de pusillanimité n’est pas acceptable, et doit être dénoncée.


 (1) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations_General_Assembly_Resolution_46/

(2) http://blogjacquesbrassard.blogspot.com/

Comment by Michael Laughrea — March 8th, 2010 @ 11:39 AM

Certains commentaires ici font sourire, certains arguments font pitié et une certains violence incite à penser que les artistes ont, comme il se doit, su toucher une corde sensible et montrer la voie de la conscience.

N’oubliez pas que ce sont bien les 4 frontières de Gaza, y compris la mer et la frontière égyptienne, qui sont gérées par israel, comme le rappelle Marianne Blume dans cet entretien:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=706UnWD0yvM

Comment by Dror — March 8th, 2010 @ 12:43 PM

L’argument qui revient sans cesse est “pourquoi s’en prendre à israel et pas aux autres pays où il existe aussi des injustices?”.

Puisqu’il faut encore le répéter, rappelons que les mouvements de solidarité avec la Palestine dans le monde entier, et Tadamon à Montréal ne fait pas exception, sont constitués de citoyens de conscience qui sont, bien entendu, concernés par d’autres souffrances de par le monde. Au même titre que nombre des artistes signataires de la lettre contre l’apartheid israélien, Tadamon est signataire d’une quantité d’appels qui condamnent l’injustice et l’oppression partout où elles se trouvent. Nous nous battons pour la justice en Egypte comme au Canada, en France comme en Afghanistan, en Irak comme en Tchétchénie… alors pourquoi pas en Palestine?!

I will repeat this for the anglophones: international solidarity with the Palestinians, and Tadamon is no exception, is carried out by people who are, of course, concerned by other causes throughout the world. Like many of the artists who signed the letter against israeli apartheid, Tadamon endorses many appeals that condemn injustice and oppression, wherever they stand. We fight for justice in Egypt and in Canada, in France and in Afghanistan, in Irak and in Tchetchnia… so why not Palestine?!

Comment by Dror — March 8th, 2010 @ 12:44 PM

Dr. Michael Laughrea,
Les gens sont tannés. Tannés de 40+ d’occupation, de promesses brisées, de mensonges, de guerres et on cherche une solution. On a TOUT essayé mais l’Israel continue de construire des colonies et des murs et REFUSE d’établir un état pour les palestiniens qui est juste et équitable. Il y A déjà des bourses, des arbres plantés et des programmes sociaux dans les territoires occupés mais à quoi ça sert si l’Israel d’un coup de main déracine les arbres, emprisonnes les gens sans proces et tue 1400 personnes. Est-ce que une bourse de recherche garantie des droits fondamentaux? La paix? la justice? ce que vous suggèrez est beau sur papier mais n’a AUCUNE application dans la réalité sur le terrain. Proposez plutôt la création d’un état! Ou des droits justes et équitables! Ces artistes savent que ceux qui peuvent faire des changements dans ce conflit sont ceux avec le pouvoir, avec la 4ieme plus grosse armee de la terre et ils veulent leur faire savoir que si vous voulez des relations normales avec l’occident: comportez vous avec des valeurs avec lesquels on est d’accord.

Comment by Thomas — March 9th, 2010 @ 9:57 PM

Though certainly contentious and far from unequivocal, one must by necessity have the courage to assume a moral position as regards the state of Israel’s (in collusion with the United State’s with the tacit support of the Canadian’s) treatment of the Palestinian people. Many of the comments posted on Tadamon explicate contingencies and nuances and though thoughtful and well-intentioned they nonetheless fail to respond to the irrefutable fact that the treatment of the Palestinians in the West Bank and particularly in Gaza is morally offensive and in terms of international law illegal.

Stating this does not in any way make other acts in other regions whether they are committed by so-called terrorists or by other governments less odious. All too often one hears, as a few of those who have commented have stated, that the reality on the ground in the Middle-East is so complex that no one can claim to fully understand let alone pass judgment. Within a certain context that is certainly true. What after all do a bunch of artists residing in Montreal know about all the idiosyncrasies of Middle-East politics? I suspect some know more than others. But, however valid that may be, it is besides the point; the point being that what we do know and not only have a right but an obligation to state openly and unequivocally is that the government of Israel’s treatment of the Palestinians is morally offensive and must stop.

It is with the deepest respect and admiration for the Jewish people that I feel compelled to name the government of Israel’s policy toward the Palestinians as a moral wrong. I know a considerable number of Israeli’s together with an increasing number of the international community of Jews both Zionist and non-Zionist would agree with this and are working hard to have their voice be heard. It is therefore equally odious to witness our own government’s attempt to stifle any debate in it’s McCathyesque effort to equate criticism of Israeli state policy with anti-Semitism. This is a frightening and again morally reprehensible precedent against which many more than 500 voices should and must be raised.

It is therefore with these considerations in mind (and many more besides for which the space here prohibits me from listing) that I willingly add my voice to the list of those who support doing whatever is necessary in a peaceful manner to coerce the state of Israel, together with those governments who support them, to raise themselves to a higher standard, to understand that an apartheid like solution will never be a solution only an unending misery for all concerned.

Dwight Smith, writer

Comment by dwight smith — March 10th, 2010 @ 12:41 PM

what a bunch of garbage signed by ignorant artists who obviously have no time to read anything but a senseless petition. If the people of gaza wanted anything resembling a productive life, they would not have destroyed everything israel left for them when they exited gaza,they would not let themselves be used as pawns by the arab world, and would have moved forward on their own with all the help in the world. Instead, they throw cement blocks, use their own people to blow themselves up (i hope they find the 70 virgins) and concentrate on revenge for the physical wars THEY start. After receiving years of rocks and bombs, what is Israel to do to defend itself? I will divest myself of any so-called art of these petitioners-most of whose names are unknown to me.

Comment by gloria shaffer — March 14th, 2010 @ 10:37 PM

Thank you Dwight.

Comment by Kevin Lo — March 15th, 2010 @ 2:43 AM

Wow ! The hasbarists or megaphone people are in full attack mode. They are so laughable and easy to detect….. Get a life !!

Comment by J-F — March 17th, 2010 @ 1:55 PM

Bravo à tous ces artistes! Cependant, il faudrait que ces derniers en parlent davantage sur la place public. Tous ensemble pour soulager la misère de ces malheureux Palestiniens!

Comment by Luc — March 20th, 2010 @ 12:25 PM

Oui, nous appuyons cet engagement des artistes canadiens à faire prendre conscience aux peuples de l’est de la Méditerranée qu’ils doivent se respecter mutuellement et vivre en paix, en arrêtant de se mettre les bâtons dans les roues de leurs développements respectifs !

Comment by Geneviève PIRET — April 7th, 2010 @ 1:26 PM

Je suis fiere d’ajouter ma voix a celles de nos artistes . Israel est un etat voyou qui ne respecte pas les resolutions de l’ONU , qui pratique l’Apartheid envers ces propres citoyens non juifs et qui menace la paix dans le monde.
Ceux et celles qui supportent le regime sioniste font partis d’un club select HASBARA , ils surfent 24heure sur 24 et sont payes par le gouvernemt pour desinformer, amalgamer et essayer de justifi

Comment by Sonia Eladi — April 22nd, 2010 @ 1:56 PM

Greetings.
.
It occurs to me that the world does not know who are the Palestinians.
.
It goes like this:
.
The Canaanite civilization was comprised of dozens of city state like communities. Not unlike ancient Ireland or Scotland.
.
Enter into Canaan, the Jews with the beginnings of monothesim, from Eastern Arabia; likely, what is now called Iraq. Fleeing from what the Jews described as famine, they entered Egypt. The Egyptians welcomed them at first, yet if what Mark Twain declared, (paraphrase) Let us quote Genesis chapter 47, We’ve all heard of the years of plenty, and the years of famine in Egypt, and with that, Joesph and the Hebrews decided to make a corner in the markets. So, during the years of plenty, Joesph and the Hebrews bought up all the land to the last acre, all the livestock to the last hoof…all the wheat to the last bussel…This, contended Twain, was why the Egyptians enslaved the Jews.
.
Well, somehow, some of them escaped, not a million, it’s ridiculous, and found their way back to Canaan, monotheism shawdowing them. Monotheism began to be embraced by the Canaanites. A Canaanite peasantry revolt occurred, was successful, and the birth of Israel began.
.
Decades more than a thousand years later, while under the Roman ” occupation” (they didn’t like it), the Jews revolted and Jerusalem suffered the consequences. Not all of the Jews were killed or fled, however. Tens of thousands remained. Many had or were converting to Christianity, many weren’t.
.
Circa 170 CE: Roman Emporer Hadrian (Hadrian’s Wall – UK) renamed the region Palestine. Eventually many of the Jews, who were Christians as well, came to know themselves as Palestinians.
.
Circa 650 CE: Islam swept across the region and conversions ensued.
.
Circa 1948 CE: Zionism conquers Palestine. So, who are the Palestinians; who are the Zionists?
.
Circa, decades after the year one: Some Jews flee, some remain. The Jews that flee incorporate European, Russian and other DNA into their identity. The Jews that remain, largely come to know themselves as Palestinians.
.
Many of the Zionists are the decendants of the Jews, with additional, non indiginous DNA, who are descended from the original Canaanites. Their ancestors left, and they returned.
.
The Palestinians are largely the direct descendants of the original Jews, who were descended from the original Canaanites.
.
The Palestinians ancestors never left. Two, three, four thousand years of the same, indiginous people. The Canaanites became the Jews who became the Palestinians.
.
The Palestinians are the direct descendants of the original, indiginous people.

.

Comment by Louis Asfour — May 6th, 2010 @ 7:15 PM

Encore une fois nos artistes les plus engagés n’ont pas peur de se mouiller pour une cause. Félicitations. Juifs, Palestiniens et tout autres assoiffés de justice pourront trouvés une solution. Il faut cesser de voir le Moyen-Orient comme une pièce de théâtre au dénouement fatal. Il faut agir.

Comment by Jérémie Lockwell — May 21st, 2010 @ 2:30 AM

This is pure propaganda. What an astounding lack of fact and truth! It’s just shocking and sad.

Comment by Chris Thomas — June 4th, 2010 @ 7:03 AM

Justement : La France est classé 44 e pour la liberté de la presse : c’est tout dire.

Le Québec n’est pas la France.

En outre, le boycott a été utilsé dans diverses situations, y compris contre l’Afrique du Sud, dont Israël, sans surprise, a été allié solide et durable.

De ce fait, Israël mérite 2 fois le boycott.

Comment by Bob — November 16th, 2010 @ 2:17 AM

Et aussi parce qu’Israël est le seul pays à s’être assis sur 500 résolutions de l’ONU, seul cadre de référence admis par la communauté internationale pour la négociation, ce qui signifie qu’Israel méprise totalement et la France, et le Québec et tous les pays, hormis les États-Unis.

Comment by Bob — November 16th, 2010 @ 2:19 AM

Apartheid Week – Hypocrisy at its Best

By: JONATHAN DAHOAH HALEVI
Published: March 2nd 2010

“…The Canadian artists blame Israel for intentionally harassing and bringing disaster to the peaceful Palestinian people during more than 60 years and fail to mention the word “terrorism” even once.

Their account of the historical events as they appear in the statement is to say the least distorted. One paragraph within the long list of “crimes” accuses Israel of deliberately oppressing the Palestinian cultural activity as follows:

“During the first and second intifadas, Israel invaded, ransacked, and even closed down cinemas, theatres and cultural centers in the occupied territories. These deliberate attempts to stifle the Palestinian cultural voice have failed and will continue to fail.” [1]

The five hundred Canadian artists virtually portray Israel as a pinnacle of human evil and their basic premise assumes, as it may be understood, that without Israeli “crimes,” the pluralist and liberal Palestinian culture in the Gaza Strip would be flourishing with cinemas, theatres and cultural centres.

This thesis has one little weakness. Not a single cinema house exists in the Gaza Strip and Hamas – NOT Israel – is responsible for “stifling the Palestinian cultural voice”. Saud Abu Ramadan, a Palestinian reporter working for the Chinese newswire Xinhua, published an article on July 26, 2009 reviewing the history of cinemas in the Gaza Strip while interviewing 57-year old Adnan Abu Beid, who used to run the most famous and biggest movie house in downtown Gaza city called al-Nasser, and today makes his living as a greengrocer. [2]

Abu Ramadan notes that “after Israel signed Oslo accords with the Palestinians, when the Palestinian National Authority (PNA) was established after the Israeli army withdrew from Gaza city, al-Nasser movie house was reopened for a few months, but later it was burned and destroyed by angry Islamic Hamas demonstrators in 1995.” Abu Beid told Xinhua that after al-Nasser movie house was burned and destroyed, “I hid my film archives and decided to become a vegetable vendor.” He added that his archives “are the only that remained after all the movie houses had either shut down, or been destroyed by Hamas activists during demonstrations in Gaza city in 1995.”

By 1994, after the PNA was established, there were nine movie houses in the Gaza Strip, including al-Nasser, al-Samer, al-Jalaa’ and Amer in Gaza City, al-Khadra and al-Hamra in the city of Khan Younis and three other movie houses in the town of Rafah. However, Abu Beid said, “Nowadays, there is ignorance of movie houses and the contribution they could make in developing our culture.” He went on, saying that “many people who think about reopening movie houses in Gaza are afraid that it would be attacked, burned and destroyed.”

Xinhua’s reporter mentioned in this regard that ”radical Islamic groups have carried out in the last several months a series of attacks against internet cafes, coffee shops and other entertainment sites in the Gaza Strip, claiming that these places are used to spread immoral principles among the young Palestinian generations.” He quoted the response of Osama el-Eassawi, the minister of culture for the Hamas government in Gaza, who conditioned the reopening of any of the closed Gaza movie houses upon respecting the laws and the traditions of the Islamic society by saying the following: “We support the art that respects the moral and religious traditions and cultures.”

The first and yet only movie produced by the Hamas government was Imad Aqel which was screened at the Islamic University of Gaza, in the absence of cinemas in the Gaza Strip. The movie tells the heroic story of the senior terrorist of Hamas, who established its military wing, and is held accountable for the killing of 13 Israeli soldiers and civilians. The film cost $120,000 and was written by Mahmoud al-Zahar, a senior leader of Hamas. Reuters’ reporter, Nidal al-Mughrabi, describes the reaction of Palestinian spectators who came in masses to watch the first movie ever to be screened under Hamas Islamic rule. “The audience in the Gaza Strip clapped and cheered as the actor delivered the movie’s most memorable line: “To kill Israeli soldiers is to worship God.” Majed Jendeya, the movie’s German-trained director, was quoted as saying that he hopes to screen the film at the Cannes festival in France. [3]

In conclusion, it is tremendously hard to comprehend how a huge group of Canadian artists are speaking with big words on human rights and at the same are silent on Hamas oppression of any free cultural activity, and even worse on its pursuance of nurturing a culture of death. I desperately want to believe that the Canadian artists were not familiar with the facts before signing the distorted statement.

Comment by sg — June 14th, 2011 @ 10:32 AM

Is there any “artist” out there that is known outside of his(her) district?

Comment by Shimon — June 29th, 2011 @ 4:48 PM

Bonjour,
J’ai de la peine, parce que je vois qu’on cherche à promouvoir la haine entre les deux peuples alors que sur le terrain des ONG luttent pour permettre de se rencontrer, de voir comment vivre ensemble, réparer des injustices, etc. Regardez le travail aussi accompli à l’exemple de Wahat-al-Salam, la ferme collective où ensemble Arabes et Juifs travaillent cette terre que tous nous aimons. Regardez les acteurs palestiniens et israéliens qui tournent ensemble des films où l’on n’évite pas les réalités mais où on cherche des solutions. Boycott ? Alors tu mets aussi au chômage technique le petit producteur d’huile palestinien, tu boycottes du même coup tout le monde ? Et je perçois des relents nauséeux d’antisémitisme comme je ne suis pas du tout certain que ces “amis de la cause palestinienne” soit si ouverts au monde arabo-musulman, voyez la maltraitance contre les immigrés, au Québec autant qu’ailleurs, pas de leçon à donner. Tu veux la terre pour les Arabes ? Ok, mais tu traites comment l’Arabe dans tes rues ? Deux poids deux mesures. Et le Juif, tu ne l’as jamais accepté, et quand c’est un Juif de pays arabe, alors c’est la totale. Ne dis pas que je mens car j’en ai été témoin. Ici, comme en France et ailleurs, on n’aime pas plus les Juifs que les Arabes, c’est un fait. Alors qu’au moins on n’ait pas l’hypocrisie de se la jouer solidaires. Et s’il reste un tant soit peu de bon sens, au lieu de jaser apartheid et des mots/des maux qu’on ne connait pas, faisons plutôt bon accueil à nos frères arabes musulmans ou chrétiens, à nos frères juifs et à tous les autres, respectons les autochtones et travaillons pour la paix, la rencontre et le partage. Assez de paroles de haine déjà pour que nous en rajoutions !
Et si on se le demande, je suis bouddhiste mais je pourrais tout aussi bien être musulman, juif ou chrétien tant qu’on pratique la compassion/charité. Et je serais honoré d’appartenir à ces cultures qui ont donné le meilleur à l’humanité, loin de vos navrantes mesquineries actuelles.

Comment by Claude — November 10th, 2012 @ 11:33 PM

NO ONE IS FREE WHEN OTHERS ARE OPPRESSED

Comment by Blake — January 14th, 2013 @ 5:46 PM

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